If we left it up to Anne to write her own bio, it would never get posted. She doesn't enjoy talking about herself, but Anne does love exploring the Twin Cities with her family and sharing her finds here. She, her husband and their four kids are lifelong residents of St. Paul.

TWIN CITIES INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS GUIDE

We all know the realities of raising kids in the Minnesota extremities: there’s got to be a place to go were we can escape the elements while still allowing those kids a place to burn off that extra energy. Enter our Twin Cities Indoor Playgrounds and Play Areas list. We hope you can use it to find a new space to wear those littles out — and perhaps catch yourself a break.

TWIN CITIES INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS – SOUTH METRO

Admission: Play Today passes or Memberships available ONLY online! Purchase in advance from home or by self-use kiosk at the door. A one-day pass is $8 per child under 18 (under 1 year play free). See website for group and membership rates.

Details: There’s been quite a bit of buzz about this relatively new indoor play park in Eagan. It’s all been good stuff, too: parents loving the unique outdoor feel of the facility with its jungle gyms, unwalled pillow jumper, basketball court and plenty of open turf for family games. Further setting the park apart from other indoor playgrounds, Good Times bills itself as “self-use” park. Guests purchase day passes online (or at the guest kiosk inside the park entrance) and receive a code to enter the building. The code is good for the entire day. Families are encouraged to bring their own food and beverages to eat in the picnic area and are expected to clean up after themselves (as there is no staff employed by the family-run business). I think this place sounds truly innovative and a whole lot of fun.

Admission: $4/per child ages 18 mons. to 12 years, 13+ & under 18 mons. free. Includes admission to the indoor playground and Preschool Open Play in the gymnasium for children ages 1-5 years only.

Details: The Blast is not as elaborate as some of the other metro-area indoor playgrounds, but you can’t beat the price. And it’s got a pretty cool space theme going on, too. As an added bonus, the Eagan Community Center hosts Preschool Open Play each weekday from 9 – 11:30am. Included in the $4 admission fee is access to The Blast and free use of fun equipment in the gym (infants to age five only, please): plasma cars, hockey sticks, tumble blocks and more! We’ve enjoyed this deal a number of times. Fantastic Saturdays from 5 – 9pm at the ECC kick in even more bang for your buck: $4 will get you into the Blast, the gym for games, and provide a movie and crafts (parents must stay to supervise their kids).

Admission: $8.50/per child ages 3-12, $5.50/per child ages 1-2, adults & under 1 year free. A “Family Play Special” is available for $29 and includes admission for 2 children, 1 large cheese pizza, a pitcher of pop and 10 tokens.

Details: Families are welcome to drop in at this contract and hourly childcare facility for open Family Play daily. Family Play takes place in the “Atrium”, fully equipped with a giant climbing structure, interactive games, daily art projects and much more. A full menu is available in the Playworks Grill.

Details: A small playroom that was fun for a first birthday party, but doesn’t include many features that excite the older kiddos. The ball pit and castle theme were a hit. Noteworthy if you plan to visit in the summer months: the Chaska Community Center’s got a pretty fun splash pad and – inside – a zero-depth entry swimming pool.

Details: Either be prepared to lose your children completely in the 37-foot main play structure or get an awesome workout trying to keep up with them! This is our family’s favorite metro-area indoor playground. The kids are entertained for hours running back and forth between the “peak” and the Great Hall, an activity room filled with balls, scooters and a bounce house. A small toddler area is included, but it’s tough to keep the littlest ones from straying into the massive “big kid” apparatus. Don’t forget the socks (or an extra $2.50 per pair)! Bonus: the lush indoor landscaping of Edinborough Park makes it feel like summer year-round.

Details: Cheerful and colorful, this indoor playground is perfect for the 5-and-under set. There are slides to suit both toddlers and preschoolers including one of those fun triple-laners. The Williston Fitness Center also features an indoor splash pad with a zero-depth entry pool and frog waterslide. Fees for the splash pad are $5 for children ages 1 – 14 and $8 for 15 years & up.

Admission: $6.95/per child. All ages welcome, but kids must be at least 34″ to jump on the inflatables.

Details: Pump It Up is a franchise that operates in five spots around the Metro. This indoor play area exclusively features giant inflatables — slides, obstacles, jumpers, and more. Pump It Up is well-known for its private birthday parties but also holds a number of open jump times mid-week. Tuesday nights from 6 – 7.30pm Pump It Up hosts a Family Jump ‘n GLOW lights-out party for $7.95 per child. A special Parents Night Out is held the first Friday of each month if you’re looking to drop the kids for a date night.

Admission: $3.50-$5.50/per child ages 1 year & up, can vary by date and time. Click here to see current rates.

Details: It must be the nature theme of this indoor playground that has left a more peaceful impression on me than other similar tot spots. There are cliffs and caves to explore, a giant tree to scale, wildlife murals on the wall and faint echoes of nature throughout. I should note that there are areas designed for toddlers, but they are not partitioned off. Good luck keeping them from joining the big kids! Lookout Ridge also gets extra points in my book for being located in a multi-purpose building that includes a branch of the Washington County library, lush indoor landscaping, and the Central Park Amphitheater, a venue that features special live entertainment and movie nights. Get the Amphitheater schedule through Monday, December 29, 2014 here.

Details: SkyZone is a blast (and a great workout!) at any age. Wall-to-wall trampolines, a bouncy basketball court, and a fly-in foam pit also are the makings of a great birthday party! For caregivers with children ages 5 and under I highly recommend SkyZone’s special Toddler Time. Most Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:30 – 11:00am, admission is $6 per child to jump (plus $2 per pair of required SkySocks). 2 adult PAD PASSES are included per paid child; adults are only allowed to assist children on the pad, no jumping permitted. I’m talking about guaranteed naptime here. Check SkyZone’s calendar to confirm dates for Toddler Time.

During busy times of the day and especially during school breaks, SkyZone cannot guarantee jump availability without a reservation. To book a reservation or to learn more about this option, click here.

SkyZone also has a location in the West Metro: 13310 Industrial Park Blvd, Plymouth, MN 55441.

Details: Giggle Factory is a multi-level play structure with a spread of features including slides and a giant ball pit. There is a dedicated space for kiddos ages 3 years and under as well as space set aside for parents that need a breather.

TWIN CITIES INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS – NORTH METRO

Admission: $4.50 per resident/$5.50 per non-resident ages 1-12, adults and under 1 free. Twilight Special – $3 after 7pm Mon-Sat and Sun after 5pm.

Details: A 2011 renovation punched up the fun at this community gathering place. When I last visited with toddlers, the area devoted to them was pretty ho-hum; new additions give them more options for climbing and sliding if they’re not yet up to braving the “big maze”. The major play structure received updates as well. Four levels of new slides and obstacles to navigate have been installed, including pogo sticks and – will someone please explain this one to me – hoover rings? Parents (and kids) with sensitive stomachs should beware the multi-story orange-and-yellow spiral tube slides! Learn more about Maple Maze and all the Maple Grove Community Center has to offer here.

Details: Eagles Nest isn’t particularly large or fancy, but if you’re looking for a couple hours’ worth of play to tire out the kids on a winter day, this place will do the trick. The toddler zone is surprisingly spacious and includes a mini ball pit. There’s also a ball pit for the bigger kids as well as an 8-ft. climbing wall and a triple slide. I favored this playground when bringing preschoolers – it’s just the right size for them to play independently without the uneasiness of losing sight of them. An adjacent gym offers preschool open playtime on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10.30am – 1.30pm.

Details: This playground loses points for lacking a dedicated area for toddlers. There are some soft obstacles that might interest them, but it might be difficult to keep them out of the paths of older children. Preschoolers might have a great time climbing through the jungle-themed apparatus with its customary slides and caves. Make a day of visiting the Shoreview Community Center by hitting Tropics Indoor Waterpark (extra charges apply). There are interactive water features to suit every age: slides, sprinklers, water sports and a zero-depth entry pool.

Details: As the name implies, this indoor playground is family owned and operated. The facility changed hands not too long ago and had a fresh, clean feeling when we visited. A jungle theme is followed through the treehouse, slides and suspended bridges over to the well-cared for and separated toddler spot. A couple things to keep in mind that differ from most metro indoor playgrounds: Brown’s does not accept checks or credit cards. An ATM is onsite for cash. Also, outside food and beverages (with baby formula, water & coffee excused) are not permitted. A full range of eats and healthy snacks are available for purchase.

About the author

Anne Kingston

If we left it up to Anne to write her own bio, it would never get posted. She doesn't enjoy talking about herself, but Anne does love exploring the Twin Cities with her family and sharing her finds here. She, her husband and their four kids are lifelong residents of St. Paul.